Prophylactic scaler



Nov 2 1926. 1,605,321

T. F; BATES PROPHYLACTIC SCALER Filed Nov 2, 1925 Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

nsu ren STATES THOMAS n. time, or SI-IELBYVILLE, TEN-trusses.

PnorHYLAorIo SCALER.

Application filed November 2, 1925. Serial m. 66,339.

The present invention relates to improvements in prophylactic sealers and has for an object to proved a dental instrumentof an improved character by the use of which I.- the processes of scaling andcuretting may be carried forward with greater facility and convenience to the dentist and with better results in the patient.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sealer peculiarly constructed for the use of general practitioners, dental nurses and oral hygienists in the treatment of pyor rhea wherevthe shallow pockets are found at the beginning of the disease.

lVith' the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will'be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings,-wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an instrument constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a similar View taken at another angle.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the instru ment, and

Figure 4 is a front elevation thereof.

tefeiring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates generally the handle havthe tapered shank 6 extending upwardly therefrom withthe portion 7 extending diagonally thereto. This portion 7 carries the blade 8, the blade extending preferably at substantially right angles to the shank por tion 7 with the wider tip end of the blade, which is flattened out at its extremity, ex-

tending approximately in the prolongation of the axis of the handle 5 to facilitate the working with the instrument and to resist the turning of the instrument in the hand of the dentist. The improved blade com- 45 prises the transverse cutting edge 9 at the extremity of the blade and at its wide portion. This cutting edge extends from side to side of the blade and is ground to appropriate sharpness.

50 The transverse cutting edge 9 is made on the curved tip portion 10 of the blade, such blade being substantially flattened from-the point indicated at 11 in Figure 2 outwardly to the rounded or rolled tip portion 10. The flattening of the blade facilitates the formation and sharpness of the straight side cutting edges 12 and 13 and the rounded side cutting edges 14 and 15, which extend into the ends of the transverse cutting edge 9. The inner side of the curved tip 10 presents a concave surface suitable for lying about convexities' in the teeth, tooth roots and the like, while the outer surface of the tip 10 forms a convex portion for entering cavities.

The blade 12 is flattened very thin, so as to is also turned spirally about its long axisin order to strengthen the very thin blade thus made and to lie more uniformly about the convex surfaces of the teeth.

In the use of the instruments, such instruments will not be found particularly useful in the treatment of the deep pockets of pyorrhea alveolaris but i rather the shallow pockets found at the beginning of the disease, and the instruments are very useful for sealing and curettlng around the necks and crowns of the teeth. The instrument may go, but preferably only slightly, under the gum. WVork ofthis character is not generally confined to pyorrhea specialists, and the instrument will be quite generally useful to it general practitioners, dental nurses and oral hygienists. The corners 16 and 17 may be rounded by drawing the same through a semi-circular grooved sharpening stone. The

straight cutting edge 9 at the tip of the sealer blade may be sharpened on a fiat stone, as may the straight side cutting edges 12 and 13, as these edges lie in a straight line. The inner curved surface may be sharpened with a cylindrical stone of proper diameter and kept uniform. The straight edges of the end 9 and the sides 12 and 13 will plane on flat surface; the inner curved edges 14 and 15 will plane as concave blades on the convex surfaces of teeth and roots without slipping out of place.

The rounded corners will act as convex blades and plane in the depressions and concave surfaces of the teeth and roots. The inner portion of the blade being on the arc of a circle, allows the shank to evade the protuberances of the crowns, and the construction permits the operator, with a pull cut, to draw out the infectious debris instead of forcin it deeper in the uninfected area as push sealers will do. The blade, being in the form of an arc, will not pack full of the deposits removed, as will files and the ordinary hoe-shaped scalers, which have the blades bent off at right angles to the shanks.

The corners of the blades being rounded and there being no angles in any part of the cutting edges, they will not leave sharp, irritating angular scratches on' the tooth surfaces nor produce unnecessary laceration of the surrounding soft tissues. The blades are thin in one aspect and may be easily passed in between crowded teeth and roots. These blades may also be used effectively as alveolar and bone curettes when the soft tissue is laid back in the more radical surgery. They become more delicate instruments as they are worn down uniformly by sharpening and can be used until quite worn out.

The instrument permits of simultaneous scaling and curetting by the adjoining and angularly disposed cutting edges 9, 1t ant 15 and by reason of the rounded corners 16 and 17 and the convex outer side of the tip portion carrying all of these various blades, the instrument is permitted to rock by con tact of its convex portion on the surface of the tooth or root treated, whereby the rounded cutting edges 14- and 15 may be successively brought into proper position for the work of scaling or curetting.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

hat is claimed is:----

1. A dental sealer and curette comprising a blade having a rounded relatively short terminal tip portion with concave inner and convex outer side and with the corner portions rounded on the convex side, said tip portion having a transverse cutting edge at its extremity, and curved side cutting edges joining with the ends of said transverse cutting edge.

2. A dental sealer and curette comprising a blade having a flattened outer thin portion with a rounded relatively short terminal tip, said flattened portion and tip having continuously extending side cutting edges straight for a portion of their length and rounded for the remainder, said tip portion further having a transverse straight cutting edge.

3. A dental sealer and curette comprising a blade having an outer flattened and thin portion with an outer curved relatively short terminal tip concave within and con vex without provided with rounded widened corners on its convex side, the side edges of said blade and its curved tip portion being provided with continuously extending cutting edges straight for the major portion of their length and curved for the remaining portion, said tip part having a transverse straight cutting edge joining with the rounded corner portions.

4-. A dental scaler and curette comprising a handle having a shank and with a laterally bent portion, and a blade extending substantially at right angles to said shank portion, said blade being flattened and thin in one aspect and twisted spirally about its long axis, said blade having a curved tip portion lying substantially in the prolongation of the axis of the handle, said curved tip portion being concave within and convex without and having rounded corner portions on its convex side, said rounded tip portion also having a transverse cutting edge and round ed lateral cutting edges, said blade further having straight cutting edges adjoining said laterally curved cutting edges.

THOMAS F. BATES. 

